Timeline
- 8.0
DeepSeek reportedly raises $15B days after US restrictions
TechCrunch reported on October 22, 2026 that DeepSeek has raised $15 billion, described as one of China's largest funding rounds, just days after the U.S. ordered federal agencies to remove its technology. The report is framed as unconfirmed, and the round's terms and investor list were not disclosed. The timing puts the reported raise directly against Washington's national-security restrictions on DeepSeek's technology, a contrast China's government has already pushed back on after the Homeland Security Department's removal order. The report did not disclose valuation, investor identities or whether the round has closed. Earlier coverage of DeepSeek fundraising described different figures, including a sought $7.35 billion round, indicating that reported totals have varied across outlets.
- 8.0
US orders federal agencies to remove China’s DeepSeek AI from their systems
The US Department of Homeland Security issued an order, filed Monday and published Tuesday, directing federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products, its affiliates, and any third-party products or services built using DeepSeek technology from their IT systems. The directive took immediate effect and also bars affected agencies from making new purchases. The order extends restrictions that had previously applied to the Commerce Department and parts of the defense, security and intelligence community to the whole federal civilian workforce and its contractors. DHS warned that employee and contractor use of DeepSeek could expose sensitive information to China. DHS invoked the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018 and cited DeepSeek servers located in China as well as security vulnerabilities identified in DeepSeek's iOS application. The department said the technology could reveal details about US citizens and federal programs.